Boston Celtics big man Enes Kanter Freedom has been very critical of China lately.
Last month, Freedom called out Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James for his relationship with Nike. Nike reportedly uses slave labor in China to produce its sneakers.
In a new development, Freedom recently spoke about how he’s “here to educate” James.
“I don’t know if he’s educated enough, but I’m here to educate him and I’m here to help him, because it’s not about money,” Freedom said regarding James. “It’s about morals, principles and values. It’s about what you stand for. There are way bigger things than money. If LeBron stopped making money now, his grandkids and grandkids and grandkids can have the best life ever. I feel like it’s definitely time for athletes to stand up for the things they believe in — not just in America — but all over the world.”
James’ Lakers and Freedom’s Celtics met for a game last month. According to both players, they didn’t interact with each other.
It’ll be interesting to see if James responds to Freedom’s latest comments. Had James not tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, he and Freedom could have found themselves in the same building again on Dec. 7 for a matchup between Boston and L.A.
James likely won’t be available for that contest, as he’s required to miss at least 10 days in total unless he returns two negative COVID-19 tests in a 24-hour span.
The Lakers are 12-11 so far in the 2021-22 season. The Celtics, meanwhile, are 11-10.
